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“I know you have your own car, but these are the vehicles pre-approved for use when Master Robbie is with you,” Ellis explains, his tone clipped and efficient.
He gestures to a row of cars in the front, each looking expensive enough to pay off my student loansandthe rest of my tuition ten times over.
“The driver usually takes him to and from school, but when you’re responsible for him, you’ll use one of these and only these.”
I blink, glancing at him and then at the cars. “Right,” I say, trying to process the information.
Ellis turns to me, his expression as professional as ever. “I’ll need your car keys, Miss Fox. Someone will pull your vehicle into the garage.”
“Oh, um, sure,” I say, fumbling in my purse. I find the keys and hand them over. “But my bag is in the car, so I’ll need the keys back to grab it later.”
“Someone will take care of it,” Ellis says briskly, hanging the keys on a hook without missing a beat.
“Oh, you don’t have to—”
Just then, a sleek, black SUV pulls up in front of us. When it parks, I almost take an automatic step toward it but notice that neither Robbie nor Ellis are. They’re just waiting.
I realize why when the driver door opens and a tall, imposing man steps out and walks around the car. He opens the back door closest to us and steps back, waitingsilently.
“This is Elijah,” Ellis says as Robbie skips to the open door.
“Umm, nice to meet you, Elijah,” I say.
The man nods but doesn’t say anything.
“After you, Miss Fox,” Ellis says, gesturing toward the open door.
“Thanks,” I mumble, sliding into the backseat after Robbie.
Ellis climbs in and takes the front passenger seat next to the driver without a word. The driver closes the door and takes his place up front.
The SUV moves smoothly down the long driveway, the mansion shrinking behind us. Robbie sits quietly, Rexy perched on his lap as he stares out the window.
He’s calm—almost bored, even. It’s obvious this is a routine. A routine that makes me feel like an outsider when all I want to do is gawk at everything in sight.
The “car” isn’t just a car. It’s completely decked out.
The interior of the SUV is luxurious—soft leather seats, a polished dashboard, and discreetly embedded screens that glow faintly from a couple of different spots. There’s a built-in console along the side with cup holders and storage compartments, and everything looks impossibly spotless, like no one has ever touched it.
I glance at Robbie, who’s casually holding Rexy while looking out the window. He’s completely at ease, as thoughthis is all normal for him. And maybe it is.
Meanwhile, I feel completely out of place.
For him, this is just another day. For me, it’s the start of something entirely new.
I glance at him, trying to find the right thing to say, but he doesn’t seem to need conversation. His gaze stays fixed on the passing scenery, his expression unreadable.
The SUV glides onto the main road, and I sit back, folding my hands in my lap. This is my job now. No turning back. I just hope I’m ready for whatever comes next.
Chapter Seven
Cole
The garage door hums softly as it closes behind me, the sound echoing faintly in the otherwise still night. I pull the car into its designated spot. My shoulders ache from the tension of the day, and all I want to do is get to bed.
I kill the engine, grab my briefcase from the passenger seat, and step out into the cool, sterile air of the garage.
My gaze falls on a modest car parked near the far wall. Annie’s.